Sk. Whyte et al., CROSS-TRANSMISSION STUDIES OF PERKINSUS-KARLSSONI (APICOMPLEXA) FROM BAY SCALLOPS ARGOPECTEN-IRRADIANS TO NATIVE ATLANTIC CANADIAN SHELLFISH SPECIES, Diseases of aquatic organisms, 17(1), 1993, pp. 33-39
The potential for cross-transmission of Perkinsus karissoni from bay s
callops Argopecten irradians to various native Atlantic Canadian speci
es of shellfish was investigated. Lateral proximal transmission was in
vestigated whereby infected moribund bay scallops were maintained with
uninfected individuals of other bivalve species in a recirculating ar
tificial seawater system. There was no evidence, either histologically
or by thioglycollate culture, to conclude that transmission of P kari
ssoni had occurred over the 22 mo study period. Zoosporangial stages o
f P. karlssoni were observed in both the male and female gonads of the
bay scallop, and the possibility of parasite release during spawning
is discussed. Shellfish mortality over the study period was attributed
to intolerance of the temperature and salinity ranges of the holding
system.